Leaders in Class

July 25, 2013

Samuel Magill ’08 has found an outlet for his entrepreneurial spirit. Just five years since graduating with a degree in business management, Magill has launched an online tee shirt company called Leaders in Class.

“I’ve always had that itch to start something out of nothing. With this venture, I wanted to create a brand for people who are passionate about what they do and who act with style and class while doing it.”

Magill said he has always loved the versatility of tee shirts, so starting a tee shirt brand seemed like a natural thing to do. His co-founder and business partner, Lou Ginsberg, agrees. “Tee shirts are a huge part of our lives––whether to look cool or to promote a belief. You have so much freedom with tee shirts.” Currently, Magill and Ginsberg design all of their tees in-house, but they are exploring collaborations with other brands and designers who share their brand’s culture.

When coming up with a name for the company, Magill said that he felt the idea of “class” was outdated and misunderstood. “‘Class’ can describe anyone with any style, from any walk of life, who works hard, plays hard, dares to try new things and does so with confidence in themselves and respect for others,” he said, “all the while inspiring others to do the same.”

Magill said his coursework gave him the knowledge base he needed to start this company. He began by testing the market, sharing designs with family and friends. He found a vendor in Philadelphia to print the shirts and then launched an intensive marketing campaign on social media.

Still, his undergraduate experiences—and particularly the personal relationships he cultivated with professors and fellow students—were most influential. “They helped shape my view on class: what it means to work hard and see that hard work pays off. Professors and classmates helped shape who I am. From the classroom, to rugby pitch, to the Blue Bird Tavern, Washington College made me who I am today.”

His advice to others looking to start a business venture? “If you have a dream or passion, go after it with everything you have and don’t stop until you achieve it.”

In this cover story about how many Republican women feel betrayed by the GOP and its support of nominee Donald Trump, Melissa Deckman, political science professor and chair of the College’s Department of Political Science is quoted from her book Tea Party Women:Mama Grizzlies, Grassroots Leaders, and the Changing Face of the American Right.